Ling-Temco-Vought YA-7F Corsair II

Last revised December 19, 2001

In June of 1985, feeling that the A-10 might be too vulnerable in a modern battlefield environment,
the USAF issued a request for proposals for an aircraft known as Close Air Support/Battlefield
Air Interdictor (CAS/BAI). LTV proposed an upgraded supersonic version of the A-7 for this requirement.

On May 7, 1987, LTV received a contract from the USAF to modify a pair of A-7D airframes to what came to be
known as "A-7D Plus". This was later redesignated YA-7F. The YA-7F was to be powered by a 26,000 lb.s.t
afterburning Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-220 engine and had a fuselage that was made 4 feet longer by adding extra
plugs both ahead (29 1/2 inches) and behind (18 inches) the wings. A taller fin and rudder was
to be provided, augmented flaps were to be fitted. and leading-edge root extensions were to be used.
The rear fuselage was redesigned so that it canted upwards by 3 degrees.
A more advanced cockpit was to be fitted, with HOTAS and heads-up displays.
The new YA-7F looked uncannily like the original
F-8 Crusader from which the A-7 had been derived.

The first YA-7F (converted from A-7D 71-0344) took of on is maiden flight on November 29, 1989, flown by
LTV chief test pilot
Jim Read. It went supersonic on its second flight. The second YA-7F took off for the first time on April 3, 1990.
At one time, it was proposed that 396 ANG A-7Ds and A-7Ks as well as 96 US Navy A-7Es
be upgraded to A-7F standards. However, the A-7 was taken out of Navy and ANG
service shortly thereafter, and the (CAS/BAI) project was cancelled, and no
further A-7Fs were built.